After issuing a string of denials, Iran has admitted to shooting down Ukraine passenger plane, and expressed sorrow over the loss of 176 lives.
Tehran attributed the shooting down of the plane to human error, that occurred during its missile fires at the U.S. bases in Iraq in reaction to America’s killing of its general at the Baghdad airport.
“A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: Human error at time of crisis caused by the United States adventurism led to disaster,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Twitter.
In a statement, the Iranian military statement said the plane got close to a military area and said those responsible for its downing would be held to account.
A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces:
Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster
Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations.
💔— Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 11, 2020
Until now, Iran had contradicted the U.S. and Canadian intelligence that the jeet was shot down.
In his tweet, FM Zarif expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives.
“Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations,” he wrote.
